The Daily Briefing Tuesday, February 21, 2023

DETROIT

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com on the Lions and their salary cap:

Clear out cap space.

Despite being the NFL’s youngest team by snap-weighted age in 2022, the Lions don’t have as much cap space as you might expect. With quarterback Jared Goff on the books for nearly $31 million next season, they have only $15.8 million in room. General manager Brad Holmes & Co. likely will want more space to work with as they try to add pieces to a defense that cost them a playoff spot.

With that in mind, the Lions likely will be looking to create cap space by moving on from a handful of veterans. The line starts with defensive tackle Michael Brockers, the longtime Rams standout who lost his role in the lineup and played just 12 defensive snaps after Week 5. Whether Brockers is cut or chooses to retire, Detroit will free up $10 million in room by releasing the 32-year-old.

Former Eagles utility lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai was signed by the prior Lions regime to start at tackle, but he spent his time in Detroit at guard and never impressed. Vaitai missed all of 2022 after undergoing back surgery, and while the Lions need someone to play right guard, it probably won’t be Vaitai. Designating him as a post-June 1 release would generate about $9.5 million in savings.

The third veteran to get released might be edge rusher Romeo Okwara, who is entering the final year of the three-year, $37 million extension he signed in 2021. He has played just nine games over the past two seasons around a torn Achilles suffered in October 2021, and the Lions have Aidan Hutchinson and Charles Harris on the edge. Okwara is due $11 million in 2023, a figure he wouldn’t hit on the open market. A pay cut could make sense here, but moving on from him would free up an additional $7.5 million in space.

GREEN BAY

Peter King:

I think when Bob McGinn, the longtime Packer chronicler, talks about big events in Green Bay, I listen. (I subscribe to Tyler Dunne’s “Go Long” Substack, and it’s there.) McGinn on the future of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay:

“As of right now, I’m convinced — based on my own instincts and knowing the NFL and knowing what happens after all these defeats and discussions with someone who has firsthand knowledge of this organization, of the Packers’ internal debates — that they are done with Rodgers. That’s the way it is right now, that he’s not coming back. They’re disgusted with him and they’re done with him and they’re moving on.

“ … They’ve turned the page. They don’t see Rodgers as a guy who’s really working hard anymore. They see a guy who — when he reported this year — his body wasn’t so-called ‘tight’ and strong as it was. They see a guy who blew off the offseason last year.”

. I think it all fits a pattern we’ve been sensing since the end of the season. When the Rodgers could be traded story was broken by Adam Schefter, that didn’t happen in a vacuum, without smoke. Now it’ll be interesting to see what happens when Rodgers finally decides whether he’s going to play this year or not.

 I think it’s absolutely eerie how much the Rodgers story in 2023 reminds me of the Brett Favre story in 2008. Fifteen years ago, the team wanted more dedication or an early decision on retiring from Favre. Could this iteration of the front office want the same thing from Rodgers?

DALLAS

Bill Barnwell on how he thinks the Cowboys running back situation will play out:

Resolve the running back situation.

After years of having a clearly defined one-two punch, the Cowboys can go in several different directions at running back. Ezekiel Elliott’s status is in question after he has battled injuries the past two seasons, while Tony Pollard, an unrestricted free agent, fractured his left fibula in Dallas’ playoff loss to San Francisco. Both players could be back in 2023, or the team could start over.

Let’s start with Elliott, who was a franchise cornerstone before signing a six-year, $90 million extension before the 2019 season. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and 101.2 rushing yards per game before the extension, but he has been limited to 4.2 yards per carry and 66.9 yards per game afterward.

Over that four-year span, per NFL Next Gen Stats, Elliott’s 1,013 carries have generated just 54 rush yards over expectation (RYOE), suggesting that he could be ably replaced by a league-average back. (Pollard’s 510 carries have generated a whopping 446 RYOE over that same stretch.) Elliott has a popular reputation as a valuable short-yardage back, but he has generated five fewer first downs over expectation than an average back would have gained in the same situations.

The Cowboys owe Elliott nearly $11 million in 2023 as part of a $16.7 million cap hit. What is particularly notable for the team is how it handled things last offseason, when Elliott struggled through a disappointing 2021. Dallas usually restructures the contracts of its star players every year to create short-term cap space, albeit at the risk of eating more dead money when it moves on from those veterans. The Cowboys conspicuously declined to restructure the deals of Elliott and offensive tackle Tyron Smith last spring, suggesting the organization was preparing to move on from both players this offseason.

Designating Elliott as a post-June 1 release would free up $10.9 million in cap space for the Cowboys, who are projected to be $7.6 million over the cap for 2023. Releasing Smith under the same designation would free up another $13.6 million. Both moves seem likely unless either player is willing to take a pay cut.

Elliott is a great pass protector and might still be something close to an average veteran back, but that skill set would typically price out in the $4 million range in free agency, which would be a massive drop from his current deal. He might be subject to the “hometown premium,” where an offer that represents market value would be insulting from a team that had been paying a player much more for years.

Pollard’s situation is suddenly much trickier after his injury, which also required surgery to repair ligaments from a high ankle sprain. It’s unclear whether he will be ready to play by the start of training camp, which could depress his value on the open market. I projected Pollard to land a deal in the ballpark of three years and $36 million if he got to free agency. And in hindsight, the Cowboys might have planned to use the $10.1 million franchise tag to keep him for 2023.

Now, with the ankle complicating Pollard’s availability, the 25-year-old might be in position to land only a one-year deal for $6 million or so in free agency, which could cause the Cowboys to let him hit the open market and see if he lands a more significant offer. The easiest solution for the team would be to move on from Elliott, franchise Pollard and add a veteran back who can play early in the season while Pollard gets up to speed, but the Cowboys don’t do easy well.

NEW YORK GIANTS

QB DANIEL JONES and/or his new agents believehe deserves a huge payday.  Andrew Crane of the New York Post:

Negotiations with Daniel Jones have gotten off to a “much bumpier start than expected,” according to The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, and there could be a few reasons for that.

Perhaps $45 million worth of them.

According to ProFootballTalk, the Giants’ 25-year-old quarterback “wants more than the Giants have offered” — up to as much as $45 million per year “or more.” Jones, who recently switched agents from CAA to Athletes First, is poised to enter free agency after the Giants declined his fifth-year option in April.

Jones’ stock rose after he engineered the best season of his career in 2022. He threw for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions, while also rushing for another 708 yards and seven touchdowns. The Giants finished 9-7-1 in Brian Daboll’s first season, and the head coach-quarterback duo of Daboll and Jones led the franchise to its first postseason win since February 2012 with a victory over the Vikings in the NFC wild-card round.

The passing yards and rushing yards were both career-highs. The interception total was a career-best, too. Jones was lauded for his improvements by Giants’ leadership — from Daboll to general manager Joe Schoen to co-owner John Mara — and instantly became a key piece of the team’s desired future just months after it appeared 2022 could be his final year with New York.

That performance made Jones’ looming free agency even more difficult to dissect. The Post’s Paul Schwartz reported that a five-year, $190 million deal was within the team’s “ballpark,” which would average out to $38 million per year. But if the Giants and Jones can’t reach an agreement on a multi-year contract, the team could use the $32.4 million franchise tag.

Dunleavy reported that the franchise tag is “very much in play” given the rocky introduction to Jones’ negotiations. The team also has to weigh how to balance navigating deals for Jones and star running back Saquon Barkley at the same time.

And with Jones’ rising price tag, as well as the agent switch, the window to use the franchise tag between Feb. 21 and March 7 becomes a pivotal one if a long-term deal doesn’t seem like it will materialize at this stage.

PHILADELPHIA

Peter King:

I think Howie Roseman doesn’t need my help. But I think the Eagles have a quarterback to sign and will have to be judicious, very judicious, with their free-agent cash. I think corner James Bradberry and guard Isaac Seumalo will get big offers elsewhere and should be free to walk. I wouldn’t give Miles Sanders a big offer; backs are easy enough to replace. I wouldn’t get emotional about a great Eagle, Fletcher Cox, unless he can return for low money. Roseman knows he won’t be the most popular guy in town, or in the locker room, in the coming weeks. One player he might be able to keep for okay money is defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

WASHINGTON

Eric Bieniemy took the Washington OC job knowing that he would be tasked with making QB SAM HOWELL an NFL starter.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

During Super Bowl week in Arizona, Commanders coach Ron Rivera was candid about the team’s plan for quarterback in 2023.

Rivera said on PFT Live (video attached) that Sam Howell enters the offseason program as QB1, that they won’t pursue a veteran starter, and that they will try to add a veteran backup.

That was said before Rivera hired an offensive coordinator. In the aftermath of the hiring of Eric Bieniemy to fill that role, a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that the strategy has not changed.

Bieniemy, along with the other candidates for the job, were positive about the team’s offensive roster, including Howell. The main challenge for the coming season will be to repair and improve the offensive line.

The Commanders aren’t far away from qualifying for the playoffs. But for a couple of questionable calls against the Giants, it may have been Washington and not New York as the No. 6 seed in 2022.

While we are on the subject of Bieniemy, a keen-eyed DB reader spotted this in yesterday’s story from Roger Sherman on Bieniemy’s inability to land an NFL head coaching position.

Only three of the 16 coaches (Bruce Arians, Brandon Staley, and Zac Taylor) picked over Bieniemy since 2019 have made the playoffs, while seven (Adam Gase, Urban Meyer, Nathaniel Hackett, David Culley, Brian Flores, Joe Judge, and Matt Rhule) have been fired.

So at least twice, a Black coach, like Bieniemy, was hired for the job.

Shalise Manza Young of YahooSports.com has thought about it:

According to backup quarterback Chad Henne, the night before Super Bowl LVII, the coach met with offensive players and showed them a play from Philadelphia’s October game against Jacksonville. It showed a Jaguars receiver faking as if he were going in motion, only to stop, reverse course and find himself open for a touchdown.

The Chiefs did something similar against the Eagles on Sunday. Twice. In the fourth quarter. And got touchdowns on both.

Gannon didn’t make an adjustment after the first time his group was beaten. But sure, he sounds like a perfect guy to hand the keys to an entire team.

In five years in charge of Kansas City’s offense, Bieniemy has earned two Super Bowl rings and three AFC championship titles and played an integral role in the development of the best quarterback in the league. But it’s evident that the NFL ownership class and hiring executives will come up with any and every reason they can to not give him a chance to be a head coach.

Would he be any good? Who knows? The point is he has never gotten a chance, the same chance guys such as Nathaniel Hackett, Joe Judge, Freddie Kitchens, Kliff Kingsbury, Matt Rhule, Adam Gase (twice) and Josh McDaniels (three times!) got, most of them without a fraction of the résumé Bieniemy has. And for every one of those failures, there are first-time coaches who get an opportunity and enjoy success, like Bieniemy’s boss Andy Reid got with the Eagles in 1999 or Mike Tomlin with the Steelers in 2007.

What’s more, Bieniemy’s contract with Kansas City is up, and while his name has been attached to some coordinator openings, he hasn’t yet been hired elsewhere. There’s a theory that if he goes to a different team and calls plays and has success away from Reid, it will lead to him finally being hired as a head coach, but neither Doug Pederson nor Matt Nagy, both of whom preceded Bieniemy as Chiefs offensive coordinator and neither of whom called plays, had to leave Reid’s staff to be hired as head coaches.

Bieniemy, who has been interviewed 17 times by 16 teams over the past few years, is another glaring, current example of the NFL’s continued anti-Black bias when it comes to hiring head coaches. He is this generation’s Sherman Lewis, an offensive coach whose qualifications were blindingly evident but who was never hired to run a team.

Bieniemy, like Lewis before him, is far from the only one.

Five teams had head-coach openings this offseason, and not a single one requested Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, whose group has been first or second in defensive points allowed in three of the past four seasons.

Breathing the same air as Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has led to five of his assistants, all white, getting head-coaching jobs, but defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, whose unit allowed fewer than 20 points per game in the 2021 postseason, has gotten interviews and nothing more.

Steve Wilks had the mess Rhule made of the Panthers dumped in his lap six games into the season and watched the team trade away its best offensive player and still turned Carolina into a respectable team for the final 12 weeks. He was passed over in favor of a man who’d been fired just weeks earlier, Frank Reich.

When it comes to Black head coaches, the goalposts move so much they’re basically windmills.

Not counting Bieniemy, there are just 12 Black coordinators in the league, all of them on defense. There are some openings still to be filled, but save for Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson, who is likely to be promoted to offensive coordinator in the wake of Shane Steichen being hired by the Colts and Bieniemy being hired elsewhere, the number of Black offensive coordinators will remain dismal.

And given that since 2016, 42 of the 56 head-coaching hires came from offensive jobs, there isn’t much hope that the number of Black head coaches will increase in the near future.

We’ve heard every excuse, every reason that year after year, the number of Black head coaches has remained stagnant, as a group and as individual candidates. And every year, we’ve seen white coaches who don’t meet the alleged qualifications or requisite experience hired.

Some succeed, some fail, but they still get chances, unlike Bieniemy.

CAROLINA

Jeff Howe of The Athletic has a panel of experts – and a majority of them thought that the hiring of Frank Reich as head coach was the best of this cycle’s five hires:

The Athletic polled nine people — a combination of general managers, personnel executives, head coaches and assistant coaches who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely — with a simple question: Who was your favorite head-coaching hire?

Panthers head coach Frank Reich received 5.5 votes to edge out DeMeco Ryans (3.5 votes) of the Texans. (One executive split his vote between the two.) Sean Payton (Broncos), Shane Steichen (Colts) and Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals) did not receive any votes. No one from the coaches’ current or most recent organizations was polled to avoid personal biases.

Considering how well-regarded the coaches are, it looks like the Panthers did a good job with their hiring process.

“Love them all,” one head coach said of the five hires.

The Colts fired Reich in November despite a 40-33-1 record midway through his fifth season. Though it might have been time for the sides to part ways, owner Jim Irsay’s decision to replace Reich with Jeff Saturday was controversial at the time, and the voters certainly backed Reich with his next stop in Charlotte.

“I like Frank a lot,” an assistant coach said. “He needs time to get it going, but I think he is a good hire. For what they need, he will do a very good job.”

The Panthers regressed during former head coach Matt Rhule’s two-plus seasons. He had control over the 53-man roster and was falling out of favor within the organization, according to sources.

Reich and general manager Scott Fitterer are expected to take a much more collaborative approach with personnel decisions.

“I think Frank is a great match with Fitterer,” an executive said.

Reich isn’t the only reason for optimism in Carolina. After the trade deadline in November, the Panthers were the only team to draw unanimous approval from a six-person panel for the moves of running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Robbie Anderson that netted a half-dozen NFL Draft picks.

Of course, the Panthers still need a quarterback to make it work, and they’ve desperately searched for one for years. It remains to be seen if they can land a top prospect with the No. 9 pick or if they’ll have to move up the board.

“I honestly like Frank Reich as a coach,” a second assistant coach said. “I do think he’s good, and he hired a good staff. Maybe a Doug Pederson 2.0?”

The staff matters a great deal. Reich has already landed defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, senior assistant Jim Caldwell and senior defensive assistant Dom Capers, so they’re loaded with leaders and bright minds.

“(Reich has) head-coaching experience and will bring stability to an organization in need of it,” a third assistant coach said.

TAMPA BAY

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com thinks it could be in Tampa Bay’s best interests to move on from WR CHRIS GODWIN:

Explore trading Chris Godwin.

The Bucs aren’t in a great situation at the moment. They are $55.7 million over the 2023 salary cap, in part because they owe $35.1 million in dead money after the retirement of Tom Brady. Like their divisional brethren in New Orleans, Tampa will have to restructure most of its top veterans’ deals to create much-needed cap room. The front office likely isn’t going to complain after the Bucs won a Super Bowl in 2020, but this team is going to struggle to field a better team than the one it ran out in 2022.

The cap situation could cost the Bucs defensive starters such as franchise legend Lavonte David and breakout cornerback Jamel Dean, who is coming off his best season. General manager Jason Licht will need to make some tough choices, especially if he wants to add a veteran quarterback to replace Brady.

One way to create cap space and improve the weaker spots on the roster would be to trade from a position of strength. Tampa’s strongest position is at wide receiver. Mike Evans is 30 and entering the final year of his deal, but repeated restructures will prevent the Buccaneers from realizing significant cost savings if they were to deal him. They would create only $2.3 million in space by trading him before June 1, and while they could free up an additional $12.2 million by trading Evans afterward, this exercise is about what the Bucs can do at the beginning of the offseason.

Trading Godwin, on the other hand, is a different story. Parting ways with the 27-year-old would free up nearly $9 million in cap room and take a significant earner off the payroll in 2023 and 2024. Godwin wasn’t as effective after returning from a torn ACL last season, and while he should still be in the prime of his career, Tampa should be able to get by with Evans — who would likely end up getting a new deal out of the equation — and Russell Gage at wideout.

The deal would also net the Bucs some useful draft capital. I’m not sure they could expect to land a Tyreek Hill or Davante Adams-sized haul, but a late-first-round pick would hardly be out of the question. The Giants sit at No. 25 and don’t have a significant receiver on the roster for quarterback Daniel Jones. Would trading for Godwin accelerate their offense? I wouldn’t advocate trading Godwin for pennies on the dollar, but Licht should be willing to take calls on him.

ARIZONA

Jonathan Gannon says all the right things about loving QB KYLER MURRAY.  Peter King:

FMIA: Kyler Murray’s been a little bit of a polarizing figure. How did he figure into you taking this job?

Gannon: “If Kyler Murray isn’t here, I don’t take this job. I think this offense will look much different. This guy does things that it completely handcuffs you how you play defense – at times. I think we can take him to another level and unleash his full skill set. We’re not gonna put him in gun all the time, I’ll tell you that. We’ll have two significant offenses with his skill set: one being under center and one being in the gun. Then obviously we’re gonna do what’s comfortable with him. The way to take pressure off the quarterback and the O-line is to put him under center at times. That’s the missing piece I thought they had with Kyler. They were in gun all the time. When you’re in gun all the time, you don’t make the defense defend certain play types. Now, when you get him under center, the defense has to defend a lot more type of play types. So there’s really two offenses I see us using.”

SAN FRANCISCO

Peter King crunches some numbers:

Brock Purdy last played a high school football game, in Arizona, in 2017. Trey Lance last played a high school football game, in Minnesota, in 2017.

Since then:

Lance started 17 games in college, at FCS school North Dakota State, and threw 318 passes. He has started four games for the 49ers and thrown 102 passes.

Purdy started 46 games in college, at Power Five school Iowa State, and threw 1,467 passes. He has started eight games for the 49ers and thrown 233 passes.

Lance has 21 starts with 420 passes thrown since high school.

Purdy has 54 starts with 1,700 passes thrown since high school.

That’s an ocean of a difference in experience, and in level of experience, for Kyle Shanahan to consider as he weighs who will be his starting quarterback in 2023.

We would add – Purdy played at Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona, in a tough district in Arizona’s highest classification.  Then at Iowa State, he played for a school that did not have the personnel base of other school’s in his conference, but still won more than he lost.  Purdy’s time at QB has been the most successful for either Perry High or Iowa State in recent years.

Lance played at Marshall High School in Minnesota’s second smallest classification, but for a program that dominated at the smaller level (they have won about 90% of their games over the last decade with or without Lance).  He started basically one season at North Dakota State, in a program that is 149-12 since 2011 (per Wikipedia).

Just saying, Purdy has been in countless dogfights in his high school and college career.

Most of Lance’s games at Marshall and North Dakota State were one-sided wins.

It is a similar “problem” to the one that Jaguars QB TREVOR LAWRENCE has faced in the pros after playing for dominant teams in high school and at Clemson.  Not easy to know how to lead a comeback when you haven’t trailed much.

SEATTLE

Veteran coach Greg Olson will replace Dave Canales at QB coach.  Adam LaRose ofProFootballRumors.com:

The Seahawks had a vacancy to fill after quarterbacks coach Dave Canales was hired by the Buccaneers as their new offensive coordinator. They have reportedly found his replacement.

Seattle is hiring Rams offensive assistant Greg Olson as QBs coach, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. The move represents a homecoming for the Richland, Washington native, along with his latest opportunity on an NFL sideline. Olson is one year removed from his most recent coordinator gig.

That came with the Raiders, and lasted four years. The 59-year-old also has experience at the coordinator level with the Lions, Rams, Buccaneers and Jaguars. Most recently, he returned to the Rams to reunite with head coach Sean McVay. Olson spent the 2017 season there as the team’s quarterbacks coach (working alongside current Seattle staffers Shane Waldron and Andy Dickerson), and his success in that capacity led to his latest OC opportunity.

Canales was a key member of the Seahawks’ staff this past season in particular, given the role he played in helping Geno Smith become one of league’s most surprising stories. The veteran went from a quarterback competition in the summer to a Pro Bowler during the 2022 campaign, leading the team to a postseason berth. That will raise expectations for Canales in his new role with the Buccaneers and their yet-to-be determined starter under center, but also leave Olson (who interviewed with the Chargers for their OC position this offseason) with the task of repeating that success in 2023.

That fact that Seattle went outside the organization for Canales’ replacement could lead to further changes on their staff taking place. Greg Auman of Fox Sports tweets that assistant QBs coach Kerry Joseph could follow Canales to Tampa Bay, given their shared time together in Seattle and the former’s previous coaching experience with the Buccaneers. In any event, Olson will look to help his own coaching stock while inheriting an interesting quarterback situation.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Derrick Ansley is the Chargers’ new defensive coordinator.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

The Los Angeles Chargers are undergoing a shift in the defensive coaching room.

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Monday that the Chargers plan to promote Derrick Ansley to defensive coordinator and Tommy Donatell to secondary coach/pass game coordinator, per sources informed of the situation.

The move comes as Renaldo Hill, who had been the Chargers’ DC the past two seasons, joins the Miami Dolphins staff on a multi-year deal under new coordinator Vic Fangio. L.A. allowed Hill out of his contract to join Fangio as the Fins’ defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator.

The moves allow Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to hang on to two up-and-coming young coaches who were popular during this hiring cycle.

Ansley spent two seasons with the University of Tennessee as defensive coordinator and DBs coach in 2019-2020. He coached defensive backs for the Chargers for the past two seasons.

Donatell, the son of former Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, spent the past two seasons as the Chargers’ assistant secondary coach. He previously worked in Seattle as a defensive quality control coach from 2017-2020.

Ansley, like Hill, is Black.

CINCINNATI

Coach Zac Taylor professes his love for the Bengals.  Emily DeLetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Ask Zac Taylor, and he’ll tell you: he has no plans to leave Cincinnati anytime soon.

The Cincinnati Bengals head coach appeared on the show HuskerOnline Tuesday, where he told the hosts he feels like the team has “come a long way” in the last four years.

An Oklahoma native, Taylor played football at the University of Nebraska from 2005-06. But he said coaching college football has never crossed his mind.

“They’re gonna have to carry me out of here in a casket,” Taylor said. “I love it. Just specifically, Cincinnati. It’s a really good fit for my family and myself, and the other coaches, and the owners, and (Bengals Director of Player Personnel) Duke Tobin. I just can’t imagine myself anywhere else. They’ll have to kick me out of here.”

He was also asked about what makes the city of Cincinnati and the Bengals so special.

“It’s the same values that I grew up with in Norman (Oklahoma), and I spent time in Lincoln (Nebraska) and Kansas and the people are Midwestern people,” he said. “I always thought I was from the Midwest and I’ve learned I’m not–this is the Midwest where I live now…but the people are very down to earth, hardworking, treat their neighbors the right way. That’s very much how the Brown and Blackburn family are with me. We just share values, constant communication, constant alignment… I know that’s special thing to have in this league. It’s not always that way, so I don’t take it for granted and just really enjoy it, and my family is really happy here as well.”

Taylor and his top staff will be together for a 5^th straight season in 2023. Kelsey Conway, also of the Enquirer:

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will return for his fifth season with the Bengals after the Arizona Cardinals opted to hire Jonathan Gannon for their head coaching job, a source tells The Enquirer.

This means the Bengals will return offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons and Anarumo for a fifth consecutive season under head coach Taylor.

Over the last two weeks, the Bengals and Taylor have been in limbo waiting to see if Anarumo or Callahan would get head coach jobs elsewhere. Now, they have clarity. For Taylor to return the same three coordinators for five seasons in a row is almost unheard of in the NFL nowadays – just look at what happened to the Eagles.

Has anyone noticed that the Bengals have quietly morphed into one of the NFL’s best run franchises.  We note Taylor’s praise of the Browns and Blackburns.

HOUSTON

Jeff Howe of The Athletic has a panel of nine experts who express support for the hiring of DeMeco Ryans as Texans head coach:

Ryans, who played for the Texans for six of his 10 seasons in the league, spent the past two years as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. The 38-year-old has been tabbed as a premium head-coaching candidate since the 2021 season, and he has also assembled a strong staff.

“I love DeMeco,” an executive said. “He is a leader, motivator and can maximize his players.”

Naturally, there were questions about the direction of the Texans organization. They have had back-to-back one-and-done head coaches — just the third time that’s happened since the 1970 merger — and are a league-worst 11-38-1 over the past three seasons.

But there is a resounding belief in Ryans, and the Texans should be able to find a franchise quarterback with the No. 2 pick in the draft. As an added boost, Ryans is regarded as a hometown hero because of his playing career, so his arrival should restore some faith among the fan base.

“DeMeco will be a good coach, and (general manager) Nick Caserio, contrary to public gripes, is a phenomenal person to work with who will be a great help,” an assistant coach said. “They should work well together but need time.”

Ryans led the NFL’s top-ranked defense in yards and points allowed last season. Aside from the 49ers’ waves of talent, a coach whose team played against them last season said Ryans does a good job of putting his players in positions to be successful.

Their scheme wasn’t overly complicated, but they were well coached and good at what they were instructed to do. Ryans understood how opposing offenses would try to beat their coverages, so they spent the practice week just repping against those route concepts over and over again. They were afforded that time because they were so comfortable with their system in the early going.

That will take time for the Texans as they work to restock their roster, of course.

“DeMeco is a perfect fit,” a second executive said.

INDIANAPOLIS

Jim Bob Cooter is a Colt.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

New Colts head coach Shane Steichen has decided on his first offensive coordinator.

Indianapolis is hiring Jim Bob Cooter for the role, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Cooter spent the 2022 season as the Jaguars’ passing game coordinator. But he also served as a consultant for the 2021 Eagles, which is his previous tie to Steichen.

Cooter was the Lions offensive coordinator from 2016-2018. But he will not call plays in 2023, as Steichen said last week that he plans to do that for the offense.

THIS AND THAT

SNEAK PREVIEW

Peter King anticipates the Competition Committee’s deliberations on the push to ban the push of teammates on the QB sneak.

I doubt you’ve seen many stories quoting NFL sources or Competition Committee sources saying anything substantive about what can or should be done about the rugby scrums that became commonplace on short-yardage plays in the 2022 season. The Eagles were the best at it, by far, converting 34 of 38 quarterback sneaks into first downs. As a long-time Competition Committee-watcher, I’ve seen the way they handle plays like this. The committee, led by chair Rich McKay, doesn’t leak much, at least until after it meets for the first time in the off-season at the NFL Scouting Combine. The committee is due to meet in Indianapolis beginning early next week, and will hear from the influential Coaches Subcommittee on the issue.

I believe, through no Deep Throats, that the committee will try to adjust the rule that allows players to push the quarterback from behind, rather than the quarterback simply trying to make the short yardage with no teammate propulsion. Anytime there’s been a clear strategic tweak to a rule that makes it either unfair to one side or turns a play into something that was never intended—such as the rugby scrum the Eagles and others have used—the Competition Committee listens to all parties and tries to adjudicate fairness.

Why, you might ask, won’t the committee start to put its case out in public to garner media and public support for whichever way they’d be leaning? A couple of reasons. Because we’ve all seen the Eagles simply use a rule legally to gain an advantage no one could have seen coming, the committee doesn’t want to appear to be jumping on a team that did nothing wrong. Also, a three-quarters vote of the 32 teams would be needed to change the rule. So only nine teams (or eight plus the Eagles, presumably) would be needed to quash any attempt to change the rule. You saw that new Denver coach Sean Payton said last week he’ll make the play a part of his offensive strategy this year. You know from recent history that the Saints use a physical sneak strategy with 230-pound quarterback Taysom Hill. So it’s not a stretch to think that at least nine teams could be bullish on keeping the rule the way it is. This will certainly be something to watch, and I think it could be a big story when the NFL holds its annual meetings in Phoenix March 26-29.

CRAZY PREDICTIONS?

Jordan Dejani of CBSSports.com promises us 10 “crazy” predictions for this offseason:

The NFL offseason has already been relatively wild. We saw Tom Brady retire again, Sean Payton return to the NFL to coach the Denver Broncos and Aaron Rodgers is meditating in darkness. Whatever visions he sees in the pitch black will have major ramifications on the NFL world.

With a loaded 2023 NFL Draft class, free agency right around the corner and a quarterback carousel that could be full of surprises, this NFL offseason is sure to dominate headlines once again. Plus, we could see a couple of record-breaking quarterback contract extensions.

What does the future hold for Rodgers as well as Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo? What kinds of changes are coming to the league this offseason? Below, we will break down 10 crazy predictions for the NFL offseason.

10. Jimmy Garoppolo signs with the Buccaneers

With the San Francisco 49ers’ decision to tab Trey Lance to start the 2022 season followed by the emergence of new starting quarterback Brock Purdy, Jimmy G will be on the move this offseason. My wild prediction is that he proves time is a flat circle by replacing his former teammate, Tom Brady, under center in Tampa.

Is Garoppolo someone who can command an elite air attack? Probably not, but the Buccaneers aren’t exactly in a great position to tank. Look at this roster on paper: They have talent on both sides of the ball. I say go sign a quarterback with starting experience and see what you can do.

9. Derek Carr signs with the Jets

After all of us witnessed Zach Wilson’s struggles last season, the Jets are going to be looking to add another quarterback. They may want a veteran who has plenty of experience as a starter, so Carr could fit in here. The Jets have underrated talent in the backfield and at wide receiver. Adding a quarterback who can just be a consistent presence under center would make New York better immediately. Carr isn’t high on my QB power rankings, but I really think the Jets could be contenders if they upgrade at the most important position.

8. Tony Pollard draws major interest in free agency, leaves Cowboys

There are several intriguing running backs looking for new deals this offseason, including Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and David Montgomery. The one I predict will receive the most interest, however, is Tony Pollard of the Cowboys.

Pollard picked up Pro Bowl honors this season by racking up a career-high 1,359 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns in 15 games played. Whether it’s working in the pass game, beating defenses to the corner off a jet sweep or just operating as your typical back in between the tackles, Pollard is a versatile weapon who teams are going to be bidding on — more so than Barkley, Jacobs or Montgomery.

Spotrac projects Pollard will sign a three-year, $25.40 million deal that carries an average annual value of $8.4 million. My prediction is it’s going to be higher than that, with his new AAV surpassing $10 million.

7. Dan Snyder sells team to Jeff Bezos, Jay-Z, Matthew McConaughey

This offseason, it finally happens. After more than two decades, the Washington NFL franchise will be under new ownership, as Snyder sells his beloved Commanders to a group headlined by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, musician Jay-Z and actor Matthew McConaughey.

The Commanders announced Nov. 2 that the Snyders had hired Bank of America Securities to “consider potential transactions.” League sources estimated to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones that the full franchise would sell between $5.5 billion and $6.5 billion, but some believe it could go for even more.

6. Odell Beckham Jr. signs with the New York Giants

After being spurned by the Cowboys this past season, OBJ is going to sign with his former team. It seemed like the Cowboys were all-in on signing Beckham, then he showed up for his visit and Dallas signed … T.Y. Hilton. Despite all of the reports saying both sides were/are still talking, we haven’t seen anything come to fruition, and it’s fair to wonder if anything ever will.

Another reason why Beckham could be interested in his former team is because it appears to be on the rise. Brian Daboll was clearly a good hire, Saquon Barkley is back to being a star and Daniel Jones may be a franchise quarterback. At the very least, he’s earned the right to be the guy in 2023. The Giants have a need at the wide receiver position, and OBJ has remained in touch with some of his friends there.

5. Lamar Jackson demands trade

Contract negotiations did not go too well last year, thanks to those dang Cleveland Browns, who gave Deshaun Watson a fully-guaranteed contract. ESPN reported that Jackson turned down a five-year extension worth over $250 million with $133 million guaranteed at signing before the start of the 2022 season.

That fully guaranteed contract is a huge obstacle to overcome in this situation, which will lead to tension between the two sides — who both want the same thing. My prediction is that Jackson will demand a trade after not getting that fully guaranteed deal. Armed with the franchise tag, the Ravens will use it. Per CBS Sports cap guru Joel Corry, the exclusive franchise designation will be most likely. Four of the last five times quarterbacks have been designated as franchise players, the exclusive tag has been used.

Now, the question will be does Jackson actually want out of Baltimore? I say no — and there’s no way the Ravens actually field offers for their star quarterback. Ultimately, Jackson will play on the tag, but the fan base will not have a fun offseason with their team dominating headlines.

4. Aaron Rodgers returns to the Packers

Another year, another offseason of wondering what’s going to happen with Rodgers and the Packers. Is this our third go-around? My hot take is that I don’t think this situation is as dramatic as the reports indicate. Are the Packers more comfortable than they ever have been when it comes to the possibility of Rodgers leaving/retiring? Absolutely. However, that doesn’t mean they are rooting for it, or “done” with their legendary quarterback.

My “crazy” prediction is that Rodgers returns to the fold for 2023. Brady may have stolen some of his thunder by being the main retirement of this offseason, plus Rodgers views Green Bay as home. This is something we know. Rodgers has had a wandering eye in the past, but he returns to play for the Packers next season.

3. Anthony Richardson falls to the end of the first round

Florida’s Anthony Richardson is one of the most intriguing quarterbacks in this class. He’s athletic and certainly talented, although “raw” is the descriptor you will usually see near his name in mock drafts. Still, he’s attractive enough to be considered a top pick.

As it stands now, all four of our CBS Sports NFL Draft experts don’t have Richardson falling further than No. 11 overall — and Chris Trapasso actually has him going No. 1 overall after the Indianapolis Colts swing a trade with the Chicago Bears. How’s this for a crazy prediction? I say Richardson falls to the end of the first round. When we get into the 20s, someone will trade up to get him.

Remember last year when every mock artist had Malik Willis going in the first round? When draft day came, however, Willis fell to No. 86 overall! I don’t want to compare Richardson and Willis as prospects, but one thing they do have in common is a “rawness.” Richardson does not appear to be a Day 1 starter, but he could develop into something special.

2. NFL makes roughing the passer even worse

It was recently reported the NFL is going to discuss the possibility of making roughing the passer a reviewable penalty. The league has made touching the quarterback a frightening task for defenders, as sack artists are not even permitted to allow the natural force of gravity to affect them — like when they momentarily put their weight on the quarterback while taking him down to the ground. Instead of reversing course with these rules, my prediction is the NFL is indeed going to make the penalty reviewable — which will be a disaster.

Remember when the NFL made pass interference reviewable for one year back in 2019? It sounded like such a great idea in theory, but it didn’t work out that way. Only 13-of-81 pass interference challenges were successful in 2019, per SI.com. There were two reasons why, in my opinion. One, I hypothesize the league wanted officials to lean toward their original call, and two, slowing down these kinds of plays in the review process really muddled things.

Basically, we paused games to view what we perceived to be clear and obvious pass interference penalties in slow motion, only for the official to turn on his mic and announce that there was no penalty. It was maddening, and that’s what will happen with roughing the passer.

1. Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow reset QB market

Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow are two franchise quarterbacks who are now eligible for contract extensions. There are really no conversations for the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals to have. Both are quarterbacks they want on roster for years to come. Even though it’s expensive, it can be beneficial to get these deals done ASAP.

My crazy prediction is that both quarterbacks will sign deals that reset the quarterback market. While some are expecting this, predicting both will reset the entire market in the coming months is actually a hot take. You have to remember, Deshaun Watson’s fully-guaranteed contract kind of ruined the market. Lamar Jackson has won an MVP (something Burrow and Herbert haven’t done yet), and the Ravens want to keep him in the fold. Yet, that hasn’t happened yet. The other part of this prediction is picking BOTH to surpass Aaron Rodgers’ AAV of $50.27 million. Spotrac has Herbert’s projected AAV at $42.4M, and Burrow’s at $44M. Those projected contracts wouldn’t even break into the top five of highest-paid quarterbacks.

I’m not Joel Corry, so I won’t/can’t wax poetic on dollars and cents, but there are multiple facets of a contract extension that makes it what it is — and each player views these facets a bit differently. Obviously stars expect deals that are well-rounded, but is Burrow’s goal to surpass Rodgers in terms of AAV? Does Herbert desire incredible guarantees like Watson has and Jackson wants? That’s what will be interesting to watch.

Not sure we see “crazy” in any of them.  We wonder if he’s not onto something with Richardson, though.